Here are previous Smoke & Mirrors Top Ten Tuesday posts.
This meme was created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by that site until
January 2018 when That Artsy Reader Girl took on the hosting duties!
Today's theme for Top Ten Tuesday is HIDDEN GEMS!
This is one of my favorite topics!
Those little-known favorite reads that I feel deserve to be Pulitzer Prize winners! :)
These are in no particular order...'cause there's no way I could prioritize this listing!
I am hopeless in that regard, especially with books I consider to be favorite reads!
One of the first books that comes to mind is
A White Wind Blew (released February 6, 2013)
by James Markert.
Having lived in the US midwest, I was amazed
to read this book and learn of the
Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Sanitorium
in Louisville, Kentucky. I had no idea!
Oh, but this book is so very much more than that!
Markert includes so much history in this one book!
I love historical fiction and this is nearly perfect
execution of that genre, in my humble opinion!
Dr. Wolfgang Pike and his wife are just two of
the best defined characters I've known!
There is so very much that Markert includes
that was so pertinent to the times:
prejudice/discrimination/lynchings,
bigger-than-life underworld villains and criminals, death/dying, recovery and rehabilitation, music/music therapy smuggling, love, romance, and commitment to faith. All this in an extremely readable and enjoyable book!
And I obviously have not been keeping up with favorite authors' newest releases, 'cause there are now 3 more books authored by Markert and released since this one:
What Blooms from Dust (released July 26, 2018)
All Things Bright and Strange (released January 30, 2018)
The Angels' Share (released January 17, 2017)
The School of Essential Ingredients (released January 22, 2009) by Erica Bauermeister is the second book.
While working at Borders for 4 1/2 years this was one
of the few books I regularly recommended.
Anyone I've ever known who read this book has at least enjoyed it a lot, but for most it became one of their "favorite reads"!
That says so very much about this book...
Erica spoke with my book club on the phone during our discussion, and that made it so very special. She was quite forthcoming regarding her writing process and discussing her next book, Joy for Beginners (released June 9, 2011).
The book club I facilitate also read the sequel
to TSoEI,
The Lost Art of Mixing (released January 24, 2013).
And we were just as enamored with it!
It is Erica's use of language that sets her apart, in my opinion! As noted in my Goodreads review of TSoEI,
"I smell, see, and hear as I read her words."
I found that what she did for food in TSoEI,
she was able to do for numbers in TLAoM.
Unbelievable use of language to activate the senses!
And such well-drawn enjoyable characters!
I just can't recommend her books highly enough!
And...per Goodreads, it looks as if she has a fourth book due to be released May 21, 2019--The Scent Keeper!
I love it when my favorite authors have upcoming releases!
Don't you?!? :)
Now for something a bit more intense and perhaps pertinent to our current world situation, particularly in the United States, given the current political 'ruling party'...
The Boat People by Sharon Bala
I really like this BookPage review which gives
a good brief summary of the book.
Goodreads classifies this as historical fiction
based in Canada.
I have no idea how accurately this depiction may be with regard to Canadian immigration procedures,
but there were definitely issues and situations
which rang true given my experiences processing
visa applications/renewals for employees.
A researcher from Russia was very upset that her
visa renewal was being delayed due to the federal agency's need to further research/verify her background.
(And this was way before 9/11
and the more restricted visa process in the aftermath!)
She had been in the US in the same position for at least 6-7 years at this point in time and was livid, finally shouting that it was impossible to verify anything anyway, since there were virtually no written record kept of much of anything in her home country!
Prior to that incident it had never occurred to me that other countries simply may not have the same ability to capture documentation or to organize information.
I think I always assumed other countries did things the same way as was done in the US!
Not necessarily... I mention this because I felt Bala's depiction of just such a situation--lack of documentation/facts to either refute or confirm asylum-seekers' claims--was spot on.
There really is no viable way to verify these claims, is there?
I greatly appreciated Grace's predicament. I felt it obvious that she was appointed to her position with the intent that she would deny most asylum-seekers' requests for entry.
This, combined with the lack of actual facts regarding these people's lives in their home countries, and the increasing pressures of her personal life in dealing with her mother and children, etc. I had great empathy for her! I believe this book is so valuable for presenting many different perspectives to the whole immigration question...
One of my favorite
books of all time is
Jam! On the Vine
by
LaShonda Katrice Barnett.
I feel as if this book has been hugely overlooked and underrated!
For more details, please click on the title above as it is linked to my two-part review/blog post.
(Yes, you read that correctly! I was unable to curb my enthusiasm into only one blog post!)
There is so very much packed into this one book!
If historical fiction is your thing, this one should prove enjoyable,
if not also on your own list of favorite reads!
Have you heard of the Red Summer of 1919?
I had not...until I read this book!
Pieces of Happiness: A Novel of Friendship, Hope and Chocolate by Anne Østby
Firstly, thank you to the publisher for a free copy of this book as a member of the Keep Turning Pages Goodreads group! There was much more to this book than I expected.
Many different issues challenge these five women, yet they manage to work together and cooperate to help one another resolve whatever situation arises.
I don't know which of these five characters I sympathized and empathized with more, but I think probably Sina is the one I had the most respect for in some ways. And poor Lisbeth,
what a shock she had regarding her husband's lack of fidelity and her former good friend.
I could perhaps most relate to Maya, after having cared for my own mother as her health declined. Definitely a scary situation... I adored the descriptions of processing chocolate into candy, the island natives, and the tropical landscape. Made me long to travel there!
Girl on the Leeside by Kathleen Anne Kenney
Ms. Kenney is a writer for whom the landscape
becomes a character, in my opinion.
And as I mentioned in the Goodreads review,
I seem to always be enthralled by a setting in either
Ireland or Scotland! It is true...and this book was no exception to that tendency!
This novel contained twists and turns
that made me recognize each character's foibles
as well as positive attributes.
And what I specifically appreciated was
the fact that the story arc was totally believable.
I can easily imagine making the same decision Kee made, particularly given the rather solitary environment
of rural Ireland. It would be a tough life
for him to suddenly serve as main caregiver to his niece.
I do believe it is never a good idea to hide the truth, especially from a child about her/his family, however...
Orphans of the Carnival by Carol Birch
I admit I was not particularly enamored with this book
while reading it, but it has certainly stuck with me in the aftermath! I never cease to be amazed by
how inhumane humans can be toward one another.
Julia's life is a prime example of this.
I wish I had been aware this was historical fiction
based upon a real person's life.
Perhaps the issue most impressed upon my mind
by this book is the idea of a marriage
based upon an economic relationship:
for example, Sonny and Cher and Celine Dion and Rene.
In both marriages the male was the
"manager" for his spouse.
I think the general public always wonders how much of the relationship is based upon true love
and how much might be influenced by monetary gain...
Though I do believe Theo did truly love Julia.
I just wish humans would learn to accept other humans. The fact that someone looks differently from the majority, doesn't mean they should be forced to become "sideshow" acts to make a living! We are all unique...some just look moreso than others!
Gemini,Oxygen, and Healer by Carol Cassella
I can highly recommend all three of Carol's books.
(Yes, I can call her by her first name since I have met her...a couple of times!)
She is an anesthesiologist and I find the medical information/details she includes
to be very informative as well as fascinating.
I loaned all three to my best friend who is a Nurse Practitioner and she really liked them all.
The book club I facilitate read Gemini and each member was fascinated by it.
Just click on her website which is linked to her name for a summary of each of these books.
She is one of the very nicest, most sincere authors I have ever met!
She is someone I would like to call "friend"... :)
I met Dwight Ritter, author of Growin' Up White: A Novel,
at the Christamore House Guild's Book Author Luncheon
in Indianapolis, Indiana. If you are ever in Indianapolis in April and
you enjoy reading and meeting and/or speaking with authors,
you should attend this event! It is unique and the venue,
the Indiana Roof Ballroom, is one of the most impressive venues...ever, in my opinion!
And all money over and above cost is donated to
the Christamore House located just west of the IUPUI campus
in downtown Indianapolis. This event funds college scholarships for students in the area. So your money is going to a very good cause. What's not to like?!? Ah, but I digress...
This book is one of the best books I've read. Period! Not just due to the subject matter and themes, but especially due to the writing. These characters jump off the page into your life!
I respect Ritter on so many levels, not the least of which is that he has maintained control of his manuscript by self-publishing, even though that means he must shoulder the responsibility of all his own merchandising and public relations. There is no publishing company to book events, etc., but he wants total control and I can understand that!
Do yourself a favor and read this!
Okay, The Art of Racing in the Rain may not necessarily qualify as a "hidden gem," given that it has almost 400,000 ratings on Goodreads, but I believe the author, Garth Stein, does! As well as his most recent adult fiction book,
A Sudden Light. Having met him, I can tell you he is one of the most passionate and enthusiastic among authors with whom I have spoken! He seems to have an endless supply of energy and is humorous and sincere. He is also a musician!
A Sudden Light has stayed 'in my head'
over the almost four years since I read it.
Now that is a book that has really made an impression!
The Art of Racing in the Rain is one of my absolute favorite reads ever! (Soon to be a movie!)
Every member of the book club I facilitate adored it as well!
And I have yet to purchase the
"young reader" version of TAoRitR,
Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog.
I need to do so. Not only so I can read it,
but then I can send it on to my grandchildren.
When I met Garth, he was preparing for the release of Enzo Races in the Rain,
a children's picture book.
He was so excited!!
And now he has three more:
Enzo and the Christmas Tree Hunt!
Enzo's Very Scary Halloween
Enzo and the Fourth of July Races
(I have no idea why these images will not align as I wish them to do! But so be it!)
Happy Reading!!
--Lynn
Today's theme for Top Ten Tuesday is HIDDEN GEMS!
This is one of my favorite topics!
Those little-known favorite reads that I feel deserve to be Pulitzer Prize winners! :)
These are in no particular order...'cause there's no way I could prioritize this listing!
I am hopeless in that regard, especially with books I consider to be favorite reads!
One of the first books that comes to mind is A White Wind Blew (released February 6, 2013)
by James Markert.
Having lived in the US midwest, I was amazed
to read this book and learn of the
Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Sanitorium
in Louisville, Kentucky. I had no idea!
Oh, but this book is so very much more than that!
Markert includes so much history in this one book!
I love historical fiction and this is nearly perfect
execution of that genre, in my humble opinion!
Dr. Wolfgang Pike and his wife are just two of
the best defined characters I've known!
There is so very much that Markert includes
that was so pertinent to the times:
prejudice/discrimination/lynchings,
bigger-than-life underworld villains and criminals, death/dying, recovery and rehabilitation, music/music therapy smuggling, love, romance, and commitment to faith. All this in an extremely readable and enjoyable book!
And I obviously have not been keeping up with favorite authors' newest releases, 'cause there are now 3 more books authored by Markert and released since this one:
What Blooms from Dust (released July 26, 2018)
All Things Bright and Strange (released January 30, 2018)
The Angels' Share (released January 17, 2017)
The School of Essential Ingredients (released January 22, 2009) by Erica Bauermeister is the second book.
While working at Borders for 4 1/2 years this was one
of the few books I regularly recommended.
Anyone I've ever known who read this book has at least enjoyed it a lot, but for most it became one of their "favorite reads"! That says so very much about this book...
Erica spoke with my book club on the phone during our discussion, and that made it so very special. She was quite forthcoming regarding her writing process and discussing her next book, Joy for Beginners (released June 9, 2011).
The book club I facilitate also read the sequel
to TSoEI,
The Lost Art of Mixing (released January 24, 2013).
And we were just as enamored with it!
It is Erica's use of language that sets her apart, in my opinion! As noted in my Goodreads review of TSoEI,
"I smell, see, and hear as I read her words."
I found that what she did for food in TSoEI,
she was able to do for numbers in TLAoM.
Unbelievable use of language to activate the senses!
And such well-drawn enjoyable characters!
I just can't recommend her books highly enough!
And...per Goodreads, it looks as if she has a fourth book due to be released May 21, 2019--The Scent Keeper!
I love it when my favorite authors have upcoming releases!
Don't you?!? :)
Now for something a bit more intense and perhaps pertinent to our current world situation, particularly in the United States, given the current political 'ruling party'...
The Boat People by Sharon BalaI really like this BookPage review which gives
a good brief summary of the book.
Goodreads classifies this as historical fiction
based in Canada.
I have no idea how accurately this depiction may be with regard to Canadian immigration procedures,
but there were definitely issues and situations
which rang true given my experiences processing
visa applications/renewals for employees.
A researcher from Russia was very upset that her
visa renewal was being delayed due to the federal agency's need to further research/verify her background.
(And this was way before 9/11
and the more restricted visa process in the aftermath!)
She had been in the US in the same position for at least 6-7 years at this point in time and was livid, finally shouting that it was impossible to verify anything anyway, since there were virtually no written record kept of much of anything in her home country!
Prior to that incident it had never occurred to me that other countries simply may not have the same ability to capture documentation or to organize information.
I think I always assumed other countries did things the same way as was done in the US!
Not necessarily... I mention this because I felt Bala's depiction of just such a situation--lack of documentation/facts to either refute or confirm asylum-seekers' claims--was spot on.
There really is no viable way to verify these claims, is there?
I greatly appreciated Grace's predicament. I felt it obvious that she was appointed to her position with the intent that she would deny most asylum-seekers' requests for entry.
This, combined with the lack of actual facts regarding these people's lives in their home countries, and the increasing pressures of her personal life in dealing with her mother and children, etc. I had great empathy for her! I believe this book is so valuable for presenting many different perspectives to the whole immigration question...
One of my favorite
books of all time is
Jam! On the Vine
by
LaShonda Katrice Barnett.
I feel as if this book has been hugely overlooked and underrated!
For more details, please click on the title above as it is linked to my two-part review/blog post.
(Yes, you read that correctly! I was unable to curb my enthusiasm into only one blog post!)
There is so very much packed into this one book!
If historical fiction is your thing, this one should prove enjoyable,
if not also on your own list of favorite reads!
Have you heard of the Red Summer of 1919?
I had not...until I read this book!
Pieces of Happiness: A Novel of Friendship, Hope and Chocolate by Anne Østby
Firstly, thank you to the publisher for a free copy of this book as a member of the Keep Turning Pages Goodreads group! There was much more to this book than I expected.Many different issues challenge these five women, yet they manage to work together and cooperate to help one another resolve whatever situation arises.
I don't know which of these five characters I sympathized and empathized with more, but I think probably Sina is the one I had the most respect for in some ways. And poor Lisbeth,
what a shock she had regarding her husband's lack of fidelity and her former good friend.
I could perhaps most relate to Maya, after having cared for my own mother as her health declined. Definitely a scary situation... I adored the descriptions of processing chocolate into candy, the island natives, and the tropical landscape. Made me long to travel there!
Girl on the Leeside by Kathleen Anne Kenney
Ms. Kenney is a writer for whom the landscape
becomes a character, in my opinion.
And as I mentioned in the Goodreads review,
I seem to always be enthralled by a setting in either
Ireland or Scotland! It is true...and this book was no exception to that tendency!
This novel contained twists and turns
that made me recognize each character's foibles
as well as positive attributes.
And what I specifically appreciated was
the fact that the story arc was totally believable.
I can easily imagine making the same decision Kee made, particularly given the rather solitary environment
of rural Ireland. It would be a tough life
for him to suddenly serve as main caregiver to his niece.
I do believe it is never a good idea to hide the truth, especially from a child about her/his family, however...
Orphans of the Carnival by Carol BirchI admit I was not particularly enamored with this book
while reading it, but it has certainly stuck with me in the aftermath! I never cease to be amazed by
how inhumane humans can be toward one another.
Julia's life is a prime example of this.
I wish I had been aware this was historical fiction
based upon a real person's life.
Perhaps the issue most impressed upon my mind
by this book is the idea of a marriage
based upon an economic relationship:
for example, Sonny and Cher and Celine Dion and Rene.
In both marriages the male was the
"manager" for his spouse.
I think the general public always wonders how much of the relationship is based upon true love
and how much might be influenced by monetary gain...
Though I do believe Theo did truly love Julia.
I just wish humans would learn to accept other humans. The fact that someone looks differently from the majority, doesn't mean they should be forced to become "sideshow" acts to make a living! We are all unique...some just look moreso than others!
Gemini,Oxygen, and Healer by Carol Cassella
I can highly recommend all three of Carol's books.
(Yes, I can call her by her first name since I have met her...a couple of times!)
She is an anesthesiologist and I find the medical information/details she includes
to be very informative as well as fascinating.
I loaned all three to my best friend who is a Nurse Practitioner and she really liked them all.
The book club I facilitate read Gemini and each member was fascinated by it.
Just click on her website which is linked to her name for a summary of each of these books.
She is one of the very nicest, most sincere authors I have ever met!
She is someone I would like to call "friend"... :)
I met Dwight Ritter, author of Growin' Up White: A Novel,
at the Christamore House Guild's Book Author Luncheon
in Indianapolis, Indiana. If you are ever in Indianapolis in April and
you enjoy reading and meeting and/or speaking with authors,
you should attend this event! It is unique and the venue,
the Indiana Roof Ballroom, is one of the most impressive venues...ever, in my opinion!
And all money over and above cost is donated to
the Christamore House located just west of the IUPUI campus
in downtown Indianapolis. This event funds college scholarships for students in the area. So your money is going to a very good cause. What's not to like?!? Ah, but I digress...
This book is one of the best books I've read. Period! Not just due to the subject matter and themes, but especially due to the writing. These characters jump off the page into your life!
I respect Ritter on so many levels, not the least of which is that he has maintained control of his manuscript by self-publishing, even though that means he must shoulder the responsibility of all his own merchandising and public relations. There is no publishing company to book events, etc., but he wants total control and I can understand that!
Do yourself a favor and read this!
Okay, The Art of Racing in the Rain may not necessarily qualify as a "hidden gem," given that it has almost 400,000 ratings on Goodreads, but I believe the author, Garth Stein, does! As well as his most recent adult fiction book,
A Sudden Light. Having met him, I can tell you he is one of the most passionate and enthusiastic among authors with whom I have spoken! He seems to have an endless supply of energy and is humorous and sincere. He is also a musician!
A Sudden Light has stayed 'in my head'
over the almost four years since I read it.
Now that is a book that has really made an impression! The Art of Racing in the Rain is one of my absolute favorite reads ever! (Soon to be a movie!)Every member of the book club I facilitate adored it as well!
And I have yet to purchase the
"young reader" version of TAoRitR,
Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog.
I need to do so. Not only so I can read it,
but then I can send it on to my grandchildren.When I met Garth, he was preparing for the release of Enzo Races in the Rain,
a children's picture book.
He was so excited!!
And now he has three more:
Enzo and the Christmas Tree Hunt!Enzo's Very Scary Halloween
Enzo and the Fourth of July Races
(I have no idea why these images will not align as I wish them to do! But so be it!)
Happy Reading!!
--Lynn
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